Story: Horses of Three Barns

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:23:42 -0400
From: Donald_G
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Story: Horses of Three Barns

Baba

                          == STORY: HORSES OF THREE BARNS ==

Namaskar,
In the aftermath of the recent unity meeting in Tiljala, a listing was issued of all the new postholders and next to their name was a code (KA) or (TF) indicating their group affiliation.

This reminds me of one story.


                                                 STORY OF HORSES

Once there were many horses. They were all living together but after some time they began fighting visciously. So they were split up into different camps. They were groupified according to various geographical regions: Borough farm, Harmond farm, and Taffu farm. The fighting continued: When they would go to graze they would quarrel and then return to their separate farms. Then one day some of those horses decided once again to live together. They thought they would live as horses, and not as Borough horses and Taffu horses. So they held a conference and the two horse farms shifted themselves to the same pasture. The Borough farm and the Taffu farm joined together. Yet even though they now  lived under "one roof", each horse still identified themselves as being from Borough Farm or Taffu farm. So even though they were "living together", those horses would only eat and talk with horses from particular region: Borough or Taffu. And they were only friends with other horses from their region. They harboured nothing but hatred and animosity for horses from other areas. In that way they were branded according to their geographical area, and they kept that brand even though they now all now "lived together" in one central barn. Plus they fought like crazy, unable to truly generate a feeling of oneness. Seeing their brands, farmers and other animals were just laughing at the hypocrisy of such horses. Those horses tried to proclaim that they were united as horses in a single barn; but, in truth, they retained their old factional identities and branded themselves as Borought horses, or Taffu horses etc. And the fierce fighting continued - with seemingly no end in sight. And still today it is like that. Those horses cannot give up their brands and live together peacefully.


                                                ABOUT THE PARABLE                                

Regarding the above parable, is that not exactly what we are witnessing in the wake of the recent Tiljala unity meeting. Two warring groups had a meeting in order to unite themselves, yet afterwards they all kept their old group affiliation: "I am KA (Kolkata Administration)" or "I am TF (Third Front)". So even though they held a "unity meeting", they still identified with and branded themselves as a members of their own separate group camp, i.e. KA or TF.

That is why many are saying this was just a so-called unity meeting or a bogus unity meeting. Because in truth, not a shred of unity happened. Only those two groups reinforced their old factional alliances. It is all just a case of hypocrisy - nothing more. They are claiming unity with their tongues but in reality they are totally locked into their old group camps.


                                                 THEN AND NOW:

                         THE SITUATION AFTER THE RECENT UNITY MEETING

In the neo-humanistic outlook of Ananda Marga, all are human and no one should be identified as being from a certain group. But now look what has happened.

In the past all group affiliations were hidden. No one wanted to label themselves in any way. No one wanted to claim that they were part of a particular group. Rather all wanted to be thought of as being beyond all narrow sentiments. They were saying that others were making groups, but would deny that they themselves were part of any group.

Yet now we find that in the wake of the recent unity meeting, they are all openly recognising their groupist affiliations in front of all: KA (Kolkata Administration) and TF (Third Front). And of course we know that sitting in their own turf is the Ranchi faction.


                                        JUST LIKE SHAMELESS ADDICTS

The situation is just like a person who at first does not want to smoke or drink in front of their elders. But then once that person becomes totally debauched and addicted to drugs and alcohol, then that same person will leave all their shame behind and openly drink and smoke in front of their esteemed family members.

A similar fall has occurred with today's groupists. In the past they would never openly admit that they were part of a group. Yet now they have lost all shame and worry and they proudly state their group affiliation. Indeed, in the wake of the recent "unity meeting" they have branded themselves as being KA or TF.

That is why many say that the recent unity meeting in Tiljala is totally bogus and devoid of any ideological integrity. Those group leaders who actively participated in the unity meeting on 25 - 27 March do not treat themselves as being disciples of Baba. Rather they classify themselves according to their own geo-sentiment.


                                                  BABA'S GUIDELINE

For real unity, a distinct universal feeling is a must. Branding oneself as being KA or TF will never give rise to unity.

Baba says, "In this world we find different varieties of group sentiment and socio-sentiment. For example, a small group may be composed of only a very few people, which we call a family. There are still larger groups, such as castes, communities,(1) tribes and nationalities; and behind all those groups the same mental weakness, the same psychic disease, is operating. As a consequence of this disease, people confine themselves within a particular group, and due to this confinement, they suffer from different types of complexes...Within a gang of thieves, one of them says appreciatively, “Oh! The sleight-of-hand of such-and-such other thief is marvellous – he has made a fool of me!” Here one pickpocket is praising another, because they belong to the same group. But one who does not belong to that gang of pickpockets will never appreciate it." (NH-LOI,

I anticipate that Baba will be gracious and those who have fallen in the quagmire of narrow sentiments will rise up and become true human beings and not just confine themselves to being KA and TF etc.

Namaskar,
Divyajyoti


Note: Of course it is obvious to all that those in the Ranchi camp are yet another group. They did not have a big part in the above story but that does not mean they are devoid of groupist feelings. To the contrary, they are drowned in that as well.

Critical Point in Today's World

Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:37:16 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From:
Subject: Critical Point in Today's World

"Ka'che na'hi a'so kabhu, e ki toma'r bha'laba'sa'..." (PS 486)

Purport:

  Baba, You are my dearest One. You have deeply linked Yourself with my
whole existence. By Your grace my each and every thought & movement is
centering around You. Baba, You are the focal point of my life. You are
my Goal. Baba, I love You so much. Even then You never come close to me.
You are always keeping Yourself far away and distant. Baba, what type of
love is this of Yours. I have so much heart-felt feeling for You, yet
You are not regularly manifesting Yourself to me. You are not even
occasionally visiting me.
  Baba, by Your grace Your divine image immediately appears in my mind
whenever I come in contact with the sweet smell of flowers. When that
flower fragrance permeates the air I always feel Your presence. In that
blissful moment, I always think of You. It is Your grace. Baba, whenever
I feel happy, then suddenly You advent and shower Yourself in my mind
and heart. Baba, by Your grace in that instance You always come close.
Baba, You are the warmth of my heart-- the vitality of my being. Baba,
all the hopes and aspirations of my life are revolving around You.
   Baba, when I am not getting You in the deep core of my heart, then I
feel totally lost and restless. In that desperate situation, I just cry
& cry-- weeping bitterly for hours on end. Baba, all my desires and
longings depend exclusively on You.   Baba, You are so gracious; You are
my closest One. By Your grace You have filled my life and my whole
existence with Your divine effulgence & love. Baba, You are my
everything. Baba, I have only one longing: To be in Your close
proximity. Please be gracious...


          == CRITICAL POINT IN TODAY'S WORLD ==

Namaskar,
As the global issues emerge in more serious ways, as technology
speeds up life, as so many things come to a head in this transitional
period, we have to be aware of Baba's guidelines for keeping mental balance.


                  GAINING SUCCESS IN LIFE

In this world we have so many duties and responsibilities, so many
things to do. Especially being Ananda Margiis our works are countless--
endless, or so it seems. Society needs help in all the directions, in
all the realms, and by Baba's grace He has given us the pathway how to
proceed. So there is much to be done.

But one thing for us all to remember is Baba's timeless teaching that to
successfully do anything in this life it demands having a free mind-- a
balanced mind. That is, the mind should be free from all complexes.

Baba says, "To attain complete success in life, the fourth principle is
samata'bha'va, that is, mental equipoise, mental balance. There must not
be any complex in the mind -- neither superiority complex nor
inferiority complex." (Ananda Vacanamrtam, part 30)


                  COMPLEXES ARE A PSYCHIC DISEASE

               MENTAL EQUIPOISE IS A GREAT QUALITY

Here Baba further points out the negative nature of complexes and He
simultaneously directs us to keep samata'bha'va, mental balance.

Baba says, "Complex of any sort - superiority or inferiority - is a
psychic malady, a mental disease. You must maintain a psychic balance."
(Kolkata Dec 2 '79)

Thus mental balance is one central target in life. We should aim for
this in all circumstances. And once we have it, & by His grace can keep
it, then that is one of the best attributes a human being can have.

Baba says, "Maintaining a balanced mind is one of the greatest virtues.
There are no complexes in a balanced mind. One neither feels inferior
nor superior to others; one never fears anybody nor ever gets perturbed.
One maintains a mental balance." (AV-5)

So by striving for and achieving mental balance, then so many other plus
points come along with it. Then the mind will be complex-free, enabling
us to generate positive relations with one and all. Because when we do
not feel that we are better or worse than the next person, then it
becomes easy to establish a heart-felt connection. So that is one
distinct benefit.

In addition, Baba tell us that when one is in a state of samata'bha'va,
they will neither be fearful nor full of anxiety. They will remain in a
natural state of ease and contentment-- not burdened by any negative
tendencies of the mind.

All these positive outcomes are a tremendous boon for human existence.


                        LEADING A LIFE OF SEVA

Without question, one of the top-most results of having a balanced mind
is that then one will be able to maximally help and serve others.
Because when we can feel their joys and sorrows and understand their
problems then we can also present them with the solutions. In that case,
by Baba's grace, they can progress.

So with a balanced mind-- with samata'bha'va-- we can best lead a life
of seva, i.e. helping one and all to advance. And that is the dharma of
human beings: To make one's own self great and make others great also--
"...to lead others along the path of righteousness".


                        WHEN SAMATA'BHA'VA IS LOST

In contrast when due to lack of sadhana we are unable to attain a state
of equipoise or if we lose that stance of mental balance, then that
invites numerous problems for oneself and for others also.

In that case we are unable to weigh the pros and cons of life and end up
making poor decisions-- lowering our own position and misleading others
as well.

For example suppose Ram or Shyam prematurely forms an opinion about
others, a conclusion which is totally wrong or off-base. Then that
invariably leads to problems and harms others. In that case, in the
future nobody will want to listen to Ram or Shyam's words. Then that Ram
or Shyam will lose all their social prestige and respect. All these
pitfalls come from lack of mental balance.

That is why-- among other things-- Baba warns to stay balanced and not
proceed hastily.

Baba says, "Do not judge anyone to be good or bad hastily, nor express your
opinion." (CC-2, 'Society' chapter, pt #41)

As we can feel, Baba's specific guideline is that with a cool mind-- a
balanced mind-- we should view all the things in life, otherwise
countless problems will crop up.


                           BABA'S FINAL WORD

Considering all the angles, by Baba's grace it is clear that
samata'bha'va is one key point for human existence because with a
balanced mind we can help ourselves and help others. And that is the
greatest utilisation of this human life.
Hence as long as we are alive this should be our approach. Here
following is Baba's dharmic mandate.

Baba says, "You should remain in this world and do your duty with a
balanced mind." (SS-21, 'Jaeva Dharma & Bhagavata Dharma')

By Baba's grace may we all get success in this grand endeavour.

Namaskar,
Mahesh


Note 1:          HOW TO OVERCOME SUPERIORITY COMPLEX

Here Baba supplies us with the special formula for keeping mental
balance and not succumbing to any type of superiority complex.

Baba says, "People must always bear in mind that 'Whatever I have
acquired is all by the grace of Parama Purus'a. If He decides that I
should not possess wealth [or any other quality etc], He will take it
away at any moment He wishes.' So no one should feel pride about
anything under any circumstances." (AV-16)

By seeing everything as Baba's fathomless grace then we will not get
puffed up with vanity and instead will be able to maintain mental
balance at all times.


Note 2:          HOW TO OVERCOME INFERIORITY COMPLEX

In His below teaching Baba teaches us how to keep mental balance and not
fall into the depths of an inferiority complex.

Baba says, "What about the inferiority complex, that makes you think of
yourself as inferior to others? You must have noticed that the minds of
those who are less educated become a bit diffident: 'We don't have much
learning.' Again, those who are poor suffer from a similar diffidence.
'We are so poor, and have no one to turn to.' But what causes such
diffidence? [They forget that] everyone on this earth is a child of
Parama Purus'a; no one is big or small. All are related as brothers and
sisters.' (DKG)

By remembering we are all the beautiful expressions of that Divine
Entity Parama Purusa, then no inferiority complex can creep into the
mind. Then we will keep our mental balance.


Note 3:         BABA'S STERN WARNING FOR ALL SADHAKAS

Baba says, "When samata'bha'va is lost, then one begins feeling that
there is a group of people far inferior to oneself. Such a pattern is to
be observed in the case of people who have come to the city from the
village. They say that they don't feel like returning to the village, as
the villagers are illiterate and under-developed. This feeling is very
dangerous. And if such feelings creep into the mind as a result of
having acquired a little intellectual knowledge, the chances of
developing this complex are much greater in the realm of spirituality,
when a sa'dhaka begins feeling somewhat elevated with the development of
some occult powers and the feeling of a little bliss. In the second
stage of spiritual practice every sa'dhaka faces this test. One must be
very, very cautious, so that vanity may not develop." ('Dialogue of
Shiva and Parvatii- 3')


Note 4:       BALANCED MIND NEEDED TO TEACH AND TO LEARN

Baba says, "The third fundamental of education is that teachers and
students should have a balanced mind." (PNS-18, 'Talks On Education')

In His above teaching Baba guides us that mental balance is needed in
order to both guide and learn from others.


Note 5:          A SPECIAL TIP FOR KEEPING A BALANCED MIND

Baba says, "In order to have a balanced mind and to progress
spiritually, human beings will have to pay attention to the qualities of
the food they eat. The idea that 'I will just do my sa'dhana' and eat
any food, proper or improper' will not do." (YP)


Note 6:                      BABA'S BLESSING

Baba says, "Your duty is to utilise totally and properly this physical
body and mind. By thinking always of Him and talking of Him psychic
elevation takes place. Go on moving towards Him. In Him alone lies Your
individual good and social good. You have come with human body, human
intellect. Your human life will become fruitful. By His grace you have a
human body and human mind and you should also bear in mind that by His
grace alone you have to move ahead in life. By His grace alone He is to
be attained. You will attain Him -- certainly you will attain Him." (AV-22)


             ***************************************************
                                 Brave Persons

Baba says, "Do not remain worried about your individual problems at all.
Be prepared to carry your own burden and be prepared also to carry the
burdens f others. Then alone are you brave. Be dagdhabiija. Everyone has
their own individual problems. Do not try to pass them on to others. On
the contrary, bear the burdens of others. No one is your enemy. Be ready
to bear the burdens of others." (AV-30, p.4)
              ***************************************************

Story: When Logic Fails, Hypocrite Gurus...

Date: 30 Mar 2011 06:22:54
From: "Indrajit  Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject:  Story: When Logic Fails, Hypocrite Gurus...

Baba

     == STORY: WHEN LOGIC FAILS, HYPOCRITE GURUS DO LIKE THIS ==

Namaskar,
We should all be critically aware about this piece of news / story that is floating around.

"As a result of continuous telephonic
pressures from Ranchi and also the ultimate legal threatening by Ranchi,
Kimshuk Da almost made up his mind to retrace his steps and disembark
himself from the arduous task ahead. But during meditation that morning,
Baba lovingly said to him: “When I wanted to adopt you as my laukik
son, you did not think for a moment and unhesitatingly left your
birth-parents in a fizzy. And when now Dharma needs you, the Dharmika
people want to ‘adopt’ you as their leader, why this hesitation?"

This type of thing has happened in all the religions. The preachers of Christian dogma, Islamic dogma, and today's terrorists etc have all done the same thing. When they knew well that their words and ideas were garbage and that the public would not accept their false notions, then such religious preachers put forth the pitch that, "These are the words of God and I am merely the messenger". This is the way that the dogmatic religions have functioned. Almost all dogmatic religions did like this. In the past and still today, such dogmatic preachers and fake gurus did not have the courage to claim those words as their own, so they said that they got such words directly from God. But no longer can rational people accept such dogma.

Baba says, "You know that religions are based on dogmas...They have always declared, “I am not speaking with my own voice, I am speaking with the voice of heaven. I am the messenger of God. Don’t take these words to be mine – they are the message of God, and so you will have to accept them. You must not question whether they are right or wrong; to question is a sin. If you question, your tongue will fall off!” They have tightened the noose of dogma around the people, so that they fear to take a single step over the line, thinking, “How terrible! If I do so I will be burnt in hellfire for eternity!"" (NH-LOI, Disc: 7)

When those fake gurus and religious opportunists have no logic or reasoning, then they proclaim that, "My God told me to do like this." That is their special trick and now the handlers of Kinshukji are resorting to this same strategy.

Here I am not giving my judgment whether this PP election should have happened or not. I am only commenting on this particular type of claim and how this dogma was injected into some margiis' minds. This type of thing will pave the way towards hell. No sane person should do like this.

The very idea that Baba came in Kinshukji's dream and told like this runs 100% contrary to Baba's written scriptures. No authority should resort to such a dogmatic and silly notion. All past and current dogmatic religious leaders have been exploiting the society with this very tool. We must not appreiciate this type of proclamation.

If we do not oppose this type of irrational approach, AM will surely turn into dogma. If this is allowed to go on, then tomorrow someone will claim: "Baba has come in my dhyana and he told that from now on avadhutas should get married." Or he will tell that, "Baba told me that meat-eating should be allowed then more and more people will join AM." Such opportunists   will start this nasty method and then it will be very easy to do all kinds of nonsense.

Rudrananda is an A-grade hypocrite but even then he could not reach this top height of hypocrisy. Rudrananda never claimed that Baba told him to do what he is doing. And those criminal Dadas who were involved in the murder of Abhipremananda in Ananda Nagar, even they did not proclaim that, "Baba told us to kill him."

Attached below is a top-notch reply to this situation. Dada Abhidevananda has done a wonderful job in attacking this dogma. He has nipped this dogma in the bud. So I appreciate his letter very much and have pasted it here for all to see.

If we do not oppose this dogma, then every Ram, Shyam, Tom, Dick and Harry will say, "Baba came and told me xyz and now we have to follow it - or else!". If we allow this type of defective mentality to grow and fester then what about Baba's teachings. Should they just be ignored and overruled. 

Here is another example from Baba where He is warning against such type of nefarious activity.

Baba says, "In the Middle Ages some selfish people proclaimed to the backward masses, “I am the messenger of God. Whatever I say is a revelation from God,” just to inject fear and terror into people’s minds. Was it beneficial for humanity to have such doctrines imposed on them in this way?" (HS-1)

Namaskar,
Indrajit


Note: Now please read this letter below from Dada Abhidevananda.

Subject: Kinshuk's Sadhana?
Date:Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:08:33 +0200
From: Acarya Abhidevananda Avadhuta
Reply-To: margiimail@googlegroups.com
Organization:  Ananda Marga
To:  Ananda Marga
CC: MargiiMail

BABA

Namaskar all,

Re: Kinshuk's Sadhana

______________________________________________________________________
There are some people, particularly vocal revolutionaries, who glibly
speak many high-sounding words. Through these high-sounding words,
they sway the weak and sensitive parts of the mind. For instance, they
say: "My native land is like this, like that"... "We are such-and-such
race"... "We are a race of heroes and heroines." This is how they
sentimentalize people. And, caught up in these geo-sentiments, the
people become devoid of rationality and also shout to the same tune.
At that time, they do not realize that their shouting is inspired by
false information.

Awakened Conscience (Discourse 9)
Published in: The Liberation of Intellect: Neohumanism
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another story told by Kinshuk to his followers purports to be a
meeting with Baba during Kinshuk's sadhana. The following story is
highly reminiscent of the stories that Muhammad used to tell his
followers - a combination of humble brag and manipulative sentiments.

______________________________________________________________________
*LIILA KATHA - NUMERO QUATRO*

As a result of continuous telephonic pressures from Ranchi and also
the ultimate legal threatening by Ranchi, Kimshuk Da almost made up
his mind to retrace his steps and disembark himself from the arduous
task ahead. But during meditation that morning, Baba lovingly said to
him: "When I wanted to adopt you as my laukik son, you did not think
for a moment and unhesitatingly left your birth-parents in a fizzy.
And when now Dharma needs you, the Dharmika people want to '*adopt*'
you as their leader, why this hesitation?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pretending that it is Baba speaking, Kinshuk once again reminds his
followers that Baba selected him as His legal heir. And, as Kinshuk
tells it (pretending that it is Baba's words), Kinshuk was kind enough
to accept Baba's desire... in the froth of a carbonated drink. :)

Then this treacherous fellow announces that Baba declared his
undisciplined, anti-ideological and anti-organizational actions to be
dharma. And not only that, Kinshuk tells us that Baba also described
those who follow him - none of them Hindi and most of them completely
unknown to Kinshuk - as the "dharmika people". What a hypocrite! What
a nasty chap!

--

Abhidevananda Avadhuta

Unique Practice to Enhance Sadhana

From: "Shantatma Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Unique Practice to Enhance Sadhana
Date: Mon 28 Mar 2011 07:13:55 +0530

Baba

  == KIIRTAN IS OUR UNIQUE PRACTICE TO ENHANCE SADHANA ==

Namaskar,
In the life of each and every sadhaka-- in the life of each and every
A'nanda Ma'rgii-- there is an inherent desire to make sadhana better and
better. This is the common feeling amongst all devotees.

To that end we follow Baba's various do's and don'ts. Before sadhana we do
half-bath, find a quiet place, do sastaunga pranam, and then sing and dance
kiirtan before sitting for meditation.

However in this ultra-modern and technological era, where machines and
gadgets often dominate our lives, there is the tendency just to listen to
kiirtan via a stereo etc-- and not sing ourselves. This can happen. Because
that reliance upon technology can enter into every sector of our existence,
including our devotional practices like kiirtan. So while living in this
modern era we should be aware.

Because Baba's guideline is that to get the real benefit of kiirtan then
one must sing-- loudly.

Baba says, "To proclaim the glories of Parama purus'a, the Supreme
Consciousness, in a loud voice is termed 'kiirtana'. The Sam'skrta root
verb kirtt means to 'utter something loudly so that others may also hear
it'; thus kiirtana means to proclaim the glories of the Lord loudly for all
to hear." (AFPS-4)

And here again Baba delivers the same message, in slightly different language.

Baba says, "Kiirtana means to utter good words loudly; not mentally, nor in
a whisper, but loud enough for everyone to hear. It is never done secretly,
but always openly...So devotees will openly sing praises to Parama Purus'a.
Kiirtana means, as I said a little earlier, to sing the Lord's glory in a
loud voice." (Ananda Vacanamrtam-7, p.36)

As Baba explains above, part and parcel of "doing kiirtan" means singing
kiirtan-- not just listening to kiirtan. And best is to dance as well. And
then in this way one can get 100% benefit: A unique devotional feeling
overcomes one's entire existence and one feels a deep sense of peace
within. This we have all surely experienced.


                       THE SCIENCE BEHIND SINGING

As we know there is an underlying science behind all our
spiritual-cum-devotional practices. And in this respect Baba guides us that
by singing kiirtan we are engaging more of the body's organs than if we
just simply listen. By singing the mouth, throat, tongue, and vocal chords
are also involved. And this enhances one's ability to focus on the kiirtan.

Baba says, "At the time of kiirtana, the vocal cord sings, the ears hear,
and the hands and feet dance, and thus all the organs are kept preoccupied
with the divine. They are not allowed to move wherever they want but are
kept engaged. There is a popular Indian superstition that when ghosts are
not kept busy they break the necks of their prey. Similarly, if the sensory
and motor organs are not kept engaged in the attainment of the divine, they
may lead one astray. Kiirtana is therefore most beneficial as it keeps all
the organs fully engaged in a spiritual pursuit." (AV-8, p.13)

Thus by singing kiirtan the mind is more engaged in the devotional practice
of kiirtan than if one is just listening. And best is to dance also. And by
this way our sadhana will be improved.


                         DOES NOT TAKE EXTRA TIME

Some may say or think that they do not have time to stop and sing kiirtan.
But the reply is that singing kiirtan itself need not take any extra time.
One can sing kiirtan while doing their mundane duties such as when cleaning
the kitchen or when bathing etc. So singing kiirtan itself can be done
frequently throughout the day. It is a way to spiritualise all our daily
activities and then when we sit for sadhana we will automatically feel the
difference. So while driving or walking or when preparing lunch, we can
sing kiiran. Actually, if we look carefully, we will come across some many
moments in our day where we can sing kiirtan in a loud voice-- thereby
enhancing our devotional life.


                           NO SHYNESS OR COMPLEX

And last but not least none should consider whether they have a "beautiful
voice" or not. Doing proper kiirtan is not a matter of singing in tune or
in a particular pitch. That is the important characteristic of kiirtan.
Because when we sing kiirtan Parama Purusa only thinks about the sweetness
and sincerity of the devotee's heart-- not the tune or melody. So no one
should suffer from any type of complex about whether they have a good voice
or not. That is not the point.

Rather we should always remember that we are only singing to please Parama
Purusa. And for this we simply need to awaken that devotional feeling that
is naturally inside us all.

Ultimately between Parama Purusa and the bhakta there is an inherent
relation of love-- that is based solely on the heart. And with this feeling
we should sing and sing our kiirtan.


                            BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace singing and dancing kiirtan brings tremendous bliss in the
life and enhances our sadhana. We should always remember that no matter
what circumstance we may find ourselves in, always He is listening to our
kiirtan. This is His unfathomable blessing upon us.

Baba says, "Everywhere you are with Parama Purus'a, and never in this
universe, nowhere in this universe, are you alone. So you are never
helpless. Wherever you may be, do your Kiirtana, 'Ba'ba' Na'ma Kevalam.' He
is with you. You are never alone. Your are never weak. You are never
helpless." (AV-12)

Namaskar,
Shantatma


                 PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Tumi a'cho, a'mio a'chi, a'r keu nei e tribhuvane..."  (P.S. 2027)

Purport:

 Baba, You are my dearest One; by Your grace I love You so much. For me,
in this entire universe-- tribhuvan*-- only You and I exist. There is
nothing else in this whole creation except You and I. Baba, by Your grace
You have brought me here. And with Your love and compassion You are
nourishing me, always keeping me under Your shelter. Baba, by Your divine
grace I always receive Your tender love and care-- both in times of great
joy and as well as during times of intense suffering. Always, in each and
every circumstance, I feel Your sweet and loving presence.
 Baba, by Your grace You bless me with Your blissful touch in the
effulgence of the new dawn. Baba, Your charming smile gets expressed in the
blossom of the lily and in the flowering of the lotus. Baba, in the dry,
burning desert You are the soothing balm. By Your grace in that unbearable
heat You provide a cool oasis and lush verdant leaves. You are ever
gracious. Baba, You saturate my dreams with Your divine love.
 Baba, in the form and fragrance of the sweet flowers, You dance and
emanate in the vast blue sky. Baba, You always manifest Your divine Self in
each and every cell of my being-- as well as in the most distant corner of
my mind. Baba, by Your grace Your magnanimous effulgent smile shines like a
blissful lightening bolt throughout my entire existence-- inside and out,
as well as in each and every pore of this vast, infinite cosmos.  
Baba, You are that most effulgent and loving Personality-- I surrender
at Your alter...


*Tribhuvan: The prefix "Tri" means 'three' and the term "bhuvan" means
'world'. And here Baba further clarifies what He exactly means by
tribhuvan, or the three worlds:

 Baba says, "Tribhuvana means the expressed world, the psychic world and the
astral world or, you may say, Causal World." (AV-2)



       ****************************************
               Process of Channlisation     

Baba says, "If people have a healthy body and mind their glandular system
will remain balanced and they can easily channelise their physical energy
into psychic and spiritual activities. This process of channelisation is
the only way to check the mental flow towards crude propensities." (AFPS-9,
p. 35)           
        ****************************************

Do You Want Your Child to Be Non-Margii

Date: Sun Mar 27 2011 08:04:36 -0000
From: P. Maher
Subject: Do You Want Your Child to Be Non-Margii
To: AM-GLOBAL

Baba

     == DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO BE NON-MARGII ==

Namaskar,
We all want our Marga to grow and every parent in AM wants for their
child to become a dedicated sadhaka. After all, who does not want to
have a beautiful devotional and ideological flow under their own roof.
My husband and I certainly did.

Unfortunately, with our eldest child, we could not gain success - by
Baba's grace with our second, things have been much better in that regard.

Perhaps other parents have experienced or are experiencing similar
results as our family. The reality is that raising a margii child is no
easy feat, especially in this ultra-materialistic era. But it is not at
all impossible either. There are some excellent examples in our Marga,
all over the world. There are however, no shortage of cases where things
did not turn out too well.

Here I wish to share some of the errors which we made due to ignorance -
we were not aware, so I write today in hopes that others will avoid such
issues. Also I will offer what has worked for us with our youngest.

Of course, please, please, please, if you have anything to add - as I am
sure all parents do(!) - please write in about this crucial point. You
will be doing a big service to our entire Margii family. I look forward
to hearing about it...


                  THE MAIN MISTAKE WE MADE

Oh Baba, this letter is not easy for me to write as the growth and
development of our children has been quite trying for us.

On the one side, our eldest child is fine in many regards, but
admittedly he is not an Ananda Margii and at this point it seems that it
will take nothing short of a miracle for this to happen.

Here is the main mistake we made.

With our eldest - a son now 27 - we just naturally assumed that as he
got older he would see the value and rational approach of AM. We thought
that he would organically understand how doing meditation and eating
vegetarian was the best way to go - but it did not turn out like that at
all. This was a big blow to our psyche and to this day I regret the
choices we made in raising him.

I naively thought that I should not push him into AM and that it would
be "healthier" if this was something he decided on his own. After all,
that was how my husband and I came into the Marga. So we let our son
grow up in a "normal manner" - play, homework, video games, etc -
without forcing him to attend AM functions or going to Marga retreats or
doing sadhana together etc. He would go to friends' houses while my
husband and I went to dharmacakra or any AM function.

However, once on that loose leash, my eldest child just strayed farther
and farther from the path. Today he drinks alcohol, eats meat, is
covered by multiple tattoos, and has even experimented with being gay.

I love him dearly, but I see that without my pushing and insisting when
he was young (i.e. in his early childhood years), he just got pulled
into the dirty current of materialism. It is those values and choices
that govern his day to day life - not the ways of Ananda Marga.

This has been the cause of so much tension, arguing, and regret in our
household. Now he even criticises us for being in Ananda Marga - he
thinks we are ignorant. It is a headache to live together or even visit.
In the kitchen he eats meat and smokes cigarettes in the house. I cannot
even begin to tell you all the problems. I really wish I knew back then
what I know now.

It is very painful to see and even more painful to admit. What was the
point in my becoming a parent if I could not raise my child(ren)
according to the precepts of dharma.

Somehow it all got away from us.


                     THE ROLE OF SAMSKARA

One of the reasons I am writing about this is to recount the day Dadaji
stayed with us for an entire week. Dada came at our request when I told
him that our child could not be controlled. At the time our eldest was
14 and he was not listening to anything.

We had known Dadaji for years and had complete trust in his evaluation.
He could see very clearly what transpired within our family - with
respect to our eldest. And he pointed out one key mis-step that my
husband and I tripped over long ago.

Dada reminded us that samskara plays a huge role in life. That is not to
say that everything is pre-destined and that we should just be passive
observers. Rather the opposite is true. Without a very positive samskara
then coming into AM is not easy - a lot of help is needed. This is the
point we missed.

Rather than doing lots of kiirtan and sadhana with our oldest child when
he was young, and always taking him to dharmacakra, we just let him play
etc. We were too relaxed, when it was in those years (from 0 to 12) that
we needed to instill the values & practices of Ananda Marga.

On that occasion, Dada warned if we are not strict strict with our
second child then our youngest will also fall into problem, but if we
instill AM values early then everything will be fine. That was 13 yrs
ago. And I have to say that Dadaji was absolutely right. Today our
youngest is 17 and all is well, whereas I still regret how I raised my
eldest, now 27.


                  THE ROLE OF SAMSKARA (Cont)

Here is more of Dada's explanation - via a short synopsis. Then I will
tell more of my story...

All over the globe there are millions and billions of people who get
caught up in the social norms of the day, and comparatively few who
break away from those dogmatic traditions and steer clear of
pseudo-culture and come into AM.

Dada told that those not born in margii families and enter into AM is
due to their extraordinary samskara combined with Baba's divine grace.
These sadhakas had such a remarkable samskara that no matter what life
situation they were born into, they would have come into AM.

Then Dadaji explained that most of the population is not like that -
including many of our margii children. For such persons to enter AM, it
will take a huge amount of support and guidance from the parents from
infancy through their childhood. Regular kiirtan, telling devotional
stories, coming to dharmacakra, making friends with other margii
children - all of these things and more are needed in order to bring our
own children into the Marga.

When I heard this it was as if I swallowed a rock.

It seemed so plainly obvious when Dada explained this, but somehow as
parents we missed the boat on this one. My entire adult life I assumed
the opposite. I figured, "Oh, of course our child will choose AM" - and
I waited and I waited and I waited, but it never happened. And now my
oldest is far past his formative years, and he is making his own life
decisions, and AM does not even come into the picture.

When he was a teenager I tried to guide him but by then it was too late.
I would give advice and he would argue and quarrel. It was then that
Dada told me that I had to teach all this when he was young - then he
would listen. During his teenage years when he was rebelling was not the
time to teach - it just created more fights.

Thus it was when my oldest was 13 and my youngest 3 that I made the
switch in my approach. The result being that now nearly 15 yrs later, my
oldest is far, far from the Marga and our younger son is an inspired and
true Ananda Margii. I will tell the story about my youngest down below.

So now I clearly understand that had I adopted a proper parenting
approach then both my children could have become margiis. By Baba's
grace that is what has happened with our youngest. And it could have
been that way with our oldest, but I naively assumed that he would come
on his own. I failed to realise that without an extraordinary samskara
this would never happen.


                BABA'S PRACTICAL APPROACH

Baba guides us that we are to guide our children along the path of
morality and spirituality from a very young age.

Baba says, "One should follow bha'gavata dharma from one’s very
childhood, because human life is rare and is very precious...So a wise
person should get initiated and should start sa'dhana' in his very
childhood, or kaoma'ra." (SS-21)

So Baba's guideline is that from the very birth of their child, parents
should be very sensitive to the needs of the child and guide them along
the path of sadhana.

Baba says, "Parents will have to take on most of the responsibility for
the moral and spiritual education of the child." (HS-1)

And indeed, during DMC and general darshan, Baba always welcomed mothers
who brought their young infants. Baba's teaching is that from the
earliest age children should be raised along the tenets of dharma and
when they are old enough to go to school, then they should go to an
Ananda Marga school. Because the mind is very impressionable at the
tender age of 5. What they are taught they will remember and follow with
implicit faith and trust.

For these reasons and more Baba guides us that parents must introduce
their child to spiritual ideals very early on - further down in this
email is that very beautiful account from Baba about how the great saint
Madalasa raised her children.

Then in addition to parenting, a proper education is needed that
instills the right values in life.

                     Sa' vidya' ya' vimuktaye

Baba says, "The real meaning of education is trilateral development –
simultaneous development in the physical, mental and spiritual realms of
human existence." (PNS-18)

For this reason Baba was vigilant that AM should establish primary
education schools all over this earth, in every country, region, city
and village. Baba's point is that from their birth right up through
their childhood is when our children formulate their ideas and visions
about the world and how they will live their live. What our children see
and hear at that age makes a huge impact on who they become later in life.


                RELIGIONS MISUSE THIS TECHNIQUE

While our Marga is the voice of bhagavata dharma, the various religions
indoctrinate young minds into their dogmatic ways. And they do this by
employing the very same techniques Baba recommends. They misuse this
method to suite their own needs and interests.

All the religions - Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism - preach and
teach their kids those principles from a very early age. They understand
well that what a child sees and experiences in those younger years (from
0 - 12) will stick with them their entire life. Christians put their
kids in Sunday school, Jews use Hebrew school, the Muslims put even
their 2 year olds in madarsa (Islamic faith schools). In that ways they
are able to indoctrinate their children into their dogmatic faith.

While we are still struggling to implement Baba's ideas within the
Marga, we need look no further than the dogmatic religions to see this
approach in action. Unfortunately, again, the various religions employ
this method to spread their dogma - not the glorious ways of bhagavata
dharma.

Thus our AM approach is grossly needed on this earth.


                       MORE REFLECTION

So it is really a question of parenting & schooling for those with
regular samskaras, like my children. If they are guided in a particular
direction they will have those experiences and ideals for life. Children
remember and learn so much in those early moments. Now I really wish I
always kept my oldest with me on my lap or nearby when doing sadhana. I
did that with my youngest but not my older one.

Coming into the Marga lies almost cent-per-cent with the families and
then with the schools later on.

Once again we can look to the dogmatic religions for proof.

These days many Christian families are less strict than before, and the
degree to which they are remiss is the degree to which the church loses
followers in that area. This has happened to a large extent in Europe.
In contrast, to the degree that parents are strict in their households -
as is the case with many Muslim families - is the degree to which their
children get fully indoctrinated into that approach.

As parents in the Marga we should clearly understand this issue and put
it into practice. Because unlike the dogmatic religions, we have all the
wonders of the universe to share with our children. Our Marga is the
path of dharma. Yet without our prompting and clear cut approach, our
children will continue to miss out on this opportunity. And this is an
injustice to them - and it is not the way we are to raise our children
in service to Guru Dev.


            AM IS NOT AN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY

                    IT IS THE MAIN THING

Part of the problem that can happen is that we may feel that AM is
something above and beyond the rest of life. There is so much to do as
parents that we can get caught up just following the basic worldly
checklist without putting proper emphasis on AM. When in fact it is the
spirituality of AM that is the essence of life - not all that other stuff.

We missed this lesson with our oldest child and instead got caught up in
general societal values and in result our son did not develop into a
sadhaka. We paid attention to his physical and mental (mostly)
development like clockwork, yet never inculcated the spiritual side into
his daily life, neither as an infant nor as a toddler and young boy. And
now the sad reality is that this is not part of his life.

I would not raise this point if I did not see this happening with other
margii families. Many of the parents in my circle of communication are
in the midst of similar circumstances - they openly say so.

I suppose the main thing is not to rely on the idea that somehow
magically our children will walk into the door of AM at the age of 18,
when up until that time Ananda Marga has not been a major factor in
their lives.


                       THE MAIN ISSUE

Here again Baba points out that root cause of the problem

Baba says, "The main point is this: for want of a little care, children
are deprived of the opportunity to become complete human beings, even
though they have a human structure." (HS-1)

Thus to bring our children onto the path of AM we cannot merely
passively wait for that magic day to happen as if they will realise it
with their own rational approach. Rather we have to be assertive and
inculcate spiritual values within our children on a daily basis.

If we do that our children become opponents and hate AM. That is what
happened with my first born and I feel the fault is entirely mine - not
my son's.

The problem has escalated to such a degree that he does not merely
passively oppose AM, but actively by eating meat, smoking, drinking
alcohol and speaking badly about Ananda Marga.

In India there is a saying that I have heard, "Those who kept their
babies away and did not bring them to DMC etc , then those children got
lost, never made it into AM and the whole house became hell."

This happened with many margii families within in India and the essence
of that problem has occurred with many families outside India, including
my own.

The point is that we must bring our young ones into the fold by
including them in all Marga activities and building a strong social
network for them. By Baba's grace we did this with our youngest and it
worked out great.


                    PRACTICAL POINTS TO PROCEED

Here is a short list of things we can do as parents to ensure our
children grow to be strong sadhakas and active Ananda Margiis. Please
add your suggestions too.

1. Create a community of friends by having our margii children play with
other margii children;
2. Bring children to DC and organise a children's dharmacakra;
3. Have them in the room with you when you do your personal sadhana;
4. Sing kiirtan & bhajans with them throughout the day;
5. Tell them Baba stories before bed;
6. Inculcate a spiritual outlook in life;
7. We must remember that our kids see what we do and follow accordingly;
8. If child gets bullied or taught to be fearful of ghosts, then that is
a lifelong problem; similarly if child gets raised in AM then they will
think AM is their home and they will follow the basic do's and don'ts
their entire life.

Finally, may we all remember that we cannot teach someone about the
danger of drowning after he has already drowned. Similarly we must not
passively watch our children grow thinking that by their samskara alone
they will make it into AM. We must be vigilant to guide them every step
of the way they moment they emerge from the womb - and even before then.


                 PARENTING IS BIG RESPONSIBILITY

Baba tell us that forming children into proper human beings is a big
job, whereas producing children is often care-free and frivolous
behaviour whereby children are often just a by-product of sex. The most
difficult task is to make children into proper human beings.

To do that we must follow the example of the great mother / saint
Madalasa who taught her children from their very infancy about, "Why you
have come into this world and what is your goal."

Baba says, "“Dear son, although you are but a child in a small human
frame, you are the veritable expression of the Supreme Consciousness.
You are an ever-holy, ever-enlightened entity. As long as you think that
you are only a small child, you are spiritually ignorant, but when you
realize that you are a part of that Supreme Entity, you become that
Supreme Entity, you become spotless (nirainjano’si).”...“My dear child,
there is no black spot in your mind. You are spotless. You are
unassailed by any kind of sin.” Sam'sa'ra ma'ya' parivarpito’si: “You
are beyond the spell of the illusory ma'ya' of this mundane world. You
are the embodiment of the pure and unblemished self.”...“This is how
Mada'lasa' teaches her son.” (AV-7)


                        BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace we must teach our children about AM from a very early
age. When we go to our Marga functions then all families should bring
their children. If we instill the values of AM early then even if those
children want to give up and walk away from AM then they will not be
able to do it. Because that AM ways of life will be in their blood. In
contrast, if keep our children separate then only those few exceptional
children with only the greatest of samskaras will become Ananda Margiis,
and all the rest will be lost in the sea of materialism and dogma.

Baba says, "Children will become assets of society in the future to the
extent that their parents or guardians discharge their duties properly."
(PNS-1)

Namaskar,
Sulekha


Note:             STORY: MAN ABOUT TO BE HUNG

Once there was a man who was about to be hung for the many crimes he
committed. Before the hanging, he was granted one last wish and he
requested to talk to his mother.

When his mother arrived he asked her if he could whisper something in
her ear. She said, "Why of course my son" and and leaned towards him.

Then the man bit his mother's ear.

The mother cried out in pain and asked, "Why did you do that?"

The son replied, "Because you are the cause of my imminent death. All
those years when I was a young boy stealing and thieving you never
disciplined me nor told me that what I was doing was wrong. Because I
did not get that important teaching, I grew up to be a criminal. And now
today I am going to be hung."

Here the whole point is that as parents we have a huge effect on what
our children become in life. It is out duty to do right by them and
bring them along the path of dharma, otherwise they will meet all kinds
of troubles and even blame us for their problems - and rightly so.

Baba says, "The mental outlook of children has already been moulded in a
particular fashion by the influence of their family environment before
they start school...Drawing on what they have learned in the family, the
immature minds of children begin to learn about the world and understand
it, and to receive ideas and master language so that they can express
those ideas. Unhesitatingly they adopt their elders’ way of looking at
the world. Hence the primary responsibility for acquainting children
with the world lies with their parents or guardians." (HS-1)


                     PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Stabdha ma'navata' ja'galo go ja'galo..." (PS #366)

Purport:

The humanity which has been sleeping since ages in a deep slumber
and being sunk in dogma was not able to think about anything. That
humanity could not understand what is proper and improper-- nor could
they follow any do's and don'ts or protest against injustices. Today,
however, that humanity has become awakened by His grace. Those who were
unable to speak, such persons got the courage to speak against negativity.
All this happened by the showering of His grace, which touched the inner
core of everyone and gave strength to one and all. The Cimmerian
darkness of Amavasya is fading away. This all happened by His divine
grace...

Global Repercussions of Crisis in Japan & Proutistic Solutions

To: am-global@earthlink.net
Date: Fri 25 Mar 2011 18:11:29
From: "Hitendra Deva"
Subject: Global Repercussions of Crisis in Japan & Proutistic Solutions

Baba

           == CURRENT CRISIS IN JAPAN AND PROUTISTIC SOLUTIONS ==

Namaskar,
Nowadays, it is very enticing and exotic to gather resources from a far distant land and manufacture a product in a region on the other side of the earth. This is the way the global economy and marketplace has developed. Seeing this, many marvel at the greatness and glamour of this global business landscape

What they do not know is that this approach is inherently defective. It is only "good" for a short period; therefter all kinds of problems result.

Indeed around the globe, there are classic, textbook examples of how the capitalistic, global economy is prone to failure - if not collapse. In each instance, Baba's teachings on Prout clearly identify the problem and provide the solution.

Here we are going to analyse a few case studies that demonstrate how using non-local resources can undermine, if not cripple, an industry and create a multitude of severe problems in society.


                                         THE SITUATION WITH JAPAN:

                        ECONOMIC FALLOUT AROUND THE GLOBE

Note: As we all know, due to the natural disaster in Japan there has been a terrible loss of life and the human suffering continues. With our deepest sympathies, kindly know that in this letter we are focusing on the the economic repercussions around the globe.

In the aftermath of the recent earthquake-tsunami disaster in Japan, many Japanese companies and factories, like Toyota, have had to close. Hence they have been unable to export materials and goods to other countries.

In result, the auto industry in the US is struggling terribly. Many car dealerships (Toyota, General Motors and others) in the US have had to lay off workers and even shut down. Because is there is an extreme shortage of vehicles to sell. Even worse is that Japan accounts for a large percentage of all car parts that are produced worldwide. So the entire auto parts industry in the US is also suffering.

Because of this the US economy is shaking: There is growing unemployment, economic uncertainty, default on loans etc. And entire ripple effect is going on. All because of the reliance on non-local resources with regards to the automobile industry.

The same is happening in the fishing, battery and software industries. In all such cases Japan is a major player producing materials for companies all over the globe, and now companies in the US, Europe and China are in turmoil because they are totally dependent on outside resources from Japan. They do not have the local resources to continue production.

So here the point is that when any business or industry relies on outside resources then that industry is not at all stable. That is Baba's explicit warning and a key aspect of Prout.

Baba says, "In a healthy economy raw materials should come from the local area. Industries which are based on imported raw materials are always weak industries, sick industries. A sick economy depends upon raw materials from outside – it depends upon inputs. For example, the Barauni Oil Refinery in Bihar is a sick industry because it depends upon crude oil from Assam. If there is any disturbance in Assam or if India is balkanized, then the refinery will have to close down. The establishment of this refinery was a foolish act. It does not represent a healthy economic structure. It is a sick industry, a foolish industry, a stupid industry!" (Proutist Economics, 'Bihar')


                                              OIL ISSUE IN THE US

And indeed in this global economy, there are numerous examples of a country undergoing hardship or problem due to the reliance on external resources.

As soon as the upheaval started in the Middle East and in particular Libya , then immediately oil prices began to rise sharply, especially in the USA. Because the US is so dependent on foreign oil, then when any of the Middle Eastern nations undergo any difficulty and are unable to produce or supply oil as usual, then the US goes into crisis mode. Because the US does not have its own supply of oil - at least not enough to sustain the country.

Indeed this recent episode might have been much worse had it not been for the Japanese tsunami. Because of the tsunami, various factories closed in Japan so their need for oil reduced dramatically. And the US was able to gain access to that oil. If it weren't for this, the problem in the US would have been much worse.

But here again the main issue is that when any country or economy is grossly dependent on outside (i.e. non-local) resources, then it will fall into crisis whenever that supply of resources is interrupted. The results of this are widespread: The industry closes, people lose their jobs, and the whole economic sector drops. Those dependent on finished goods also suffer. The pain, economic struggle, and shortage of supply reaches the common people.

So if a war erupts in the Middle East, or a natural calamity strikes Japan etc, then any nation depending on resources from the Middle East or Japan will fall into problem, if not crisis.


                           FIRES IN RUSSIA LEAD TO GLOBAL WHEAT CRISIS

Just last year there was a wheat shortage in Russia due to terrible wild fires across their farmland. So the Russian leaders banned all exports of wheat. Because Russia is one of the world's main suppliers, that had a ripple effect all over the world. Food prices went up drastically; there were food shortages; plus there were food riots.

Here again the point comes to light: Any region or country dependent on outside resources for their livelihood and well-being will suffer terribly when those resources are denied, for whatever reason.

That is why Baba's teaching in Prout is that every economy must be self-sufficient in the basic necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter medical care, education) and not at all dependent on any other region of the world for supplies or resources.

The aforementioned examples of crisis in the automobile, wheat and oil industries had a drastic effect on the supply of the basic necessities of life in other lands.


                                                BABA'S TEACHINGS

Here are more of Baba's teachings about the problems associated with relying on outside resources.

Below Baba describes how geo-economic sentiment gets expressed in such conditions.

Baba says, "“Although there is no iron ore or cheap electricity, we must have a steel plant in our area.” This is nothing but an expression of geo-economic sentiment. “Although crude oil and cheap electricity are not available, we must have oil refineries in our area!” – another expression of geo-economic sentiment." (Neo-Humanism: Liberation of Intellect, Disc 3)

Then Baba discusses further about the ills of shipping out local resources as well as depending on non-local resources.

Baba says, "Let me give another example in this connection. The jute industry of Dundee [in Great Britain] flourished because a supply of jute came from Bengal and, again, the finished products were sold in the markets of Bengal. What a peculiar situation! This was a case of non-utilization of Bengal’s potentialities and resources; and for Dundee it was an irrational industrial plan with every possibility of failure. If the jute had not been supplied from Bengal, the factories of Dundee would have closed. If finished jute products had not been sold in the markets of Bengal, the industry in Dundee would have failed." (Neo-Humanism: Liberation of Intellect, Disc 3)

Next Baba describes how any industry must have its needed resources nearby - any other type of plan is senseless.

Baba says, "Due to the lack of a well-defined principle of economic planning and the dominance of various narrow sentiments, India’s economy has been paralysed by inertia. Steel plants have been built where there is no supply of cheap power, and huge oil refineries like those in Mathura and Barauni have been constructed where there are no raw materials within 1,000 miles. Such a policy is not only a great waste and misuse of resources, it also illustrates the lack of foresight and ignorance of India’s planners." (Prout Nutshell, part 13, 'Some Specialities of Prout's Economic System')

Baba says, "This situation is reminiscent of the British period when raw jute from Bengal was sent to Dundee in Great Britain to develop the British jute industry. When the supply of raw jute from Bengal was stopped, all the jute factories in Dundee were closed down. If the finished jute products made in Dundee had not been sold in Bengal, the Dundee jute industry would not have survived." (Prout Nutshell, part 13, 'Some Specialities of Prout's Economic System')


                                                     CONCLUSION

So we see that the way capitalism is shaping up around the globe is quite precarious. When industries in so many countries are depending upon materials made in a far distant place then it is highly possible that that industry can be crippled. Even more dangerous is that that single problem leads to a wide array of deep-seeded repercussions that reverberate around the globe to the level of the common people. Yet the root cause is essentially one: Depending on non-local resources to drive an industry.

Unfortunately it looks like the only way people are going to learn is by falling into problem. Even then as Ananda Margiis we should propagate the gospel of Prout wherever and whenever possible. Because Prout has all the solutions of the ills of today's global economy.

Baba says, "PROUT is the panacea for the integrated progress of human society. It aims to bring about equilibrium and equipoise in all aspects of socio-economic life through totally restructuring economics. Without PROUT, socio-economic emancipation will remain a utopian dream. Only PROUT can save the world from depression." (A Few Problems Solved Part 9)

Namaskar,
Hitendra


                         PRABHAT SAMGIITA

PS Intro: In the life of each and every sadhaka, at one time or another,
it invariably happens that when they have a deep desire to receive
Parama Purusa, in the grand play of His divine liila He is remaining
distant. The sadhaka may be doing a lot of kiirtan and sadhana or they
may be constantly repeating their Ista mantra and calling Him again and
again with all their heart, but it sometimes happens that still He is
not coming close. Despite so many cries and pleas to receive Him, Parama
Purusa is remaining far. And then suddenly one day when the devotee is
not at all ready for His divine arrival then unexpectedly Parama Purusa
graces him by coming. At one unannounced moment He reveals His divine
Self in the depths of the devotee's heart. This is nothing but His
divine liila of hide and seek and that is the devotional scene which is
represented in this following Prabhat Samgiita.

"Tumi path bhule mor ghare ele..." (PS 1988)

Purport:

Baba, I love You so much and I have been waiting for You for so long. In
the upsurge of my devotional attraction for You I have cried profusely
and shed innumerable tears waiting for You. Baba, I have called You
countless times, even then You remained oblivious and did not come. Then
today with no prior warning at all, as if by accident You came to my house--
You graced me by taking advent in my heart, in my mental abode. Baba, it is so
beautiful to receive You; it is Your grace. Baba, I love You so much. By
Your grace the devotional longing of my heart was resonating in the far
distant breeze and throughout the great blue sky. Baba, my deep longing
for You could be felt throughout each and every pulsation of this vast
universe. Even then Your deep sleep was not broken by the devotional
call of my heart. Baba, the longing of my heart was resonating all
around, but You remained completely deaf. You did not respond at all. O'
my dearmost, please tell me why You remained far.

Baba, whether You choose to listen to me or not, is entirely Your
option: Paying a deaf ear to my constant calling and pleas is one of
Your roles in this divine liila. Baba, when I was thinking that You
would surely come then I decorated my house in a magnificent way for
Your ceremonial reception; but that time You did not come. Baba, when I
was desperately calling You with all the devotion of my heart, You did
not show up. Yet now when my heart is dry and I am involved in so many
worldly duties, You have come. Baba, now when I have so many works and
responsibilities to manage, You have arrived at my door-- unannounced.
Baba, today I was not anticipating Your arrival, but by Your grace You
have come. Your accidental arrival at my house-- in my heart-- is never
a mistake. O' my dearmost Baba, my heart is always longing for You. It
is so blissful that You have finally come and completely satiated my
internal yearning for You. Baba, You are the dearest One of my heart.
Baba today You have graciously come and made my whole being resplendent.
Baba, You are my everything...



        ***************************************
            Practical Aspect of Mysticism

Baba says, "Mysticism is a never-ending endeavour to find a link between
finite and infinite." (AV-23, p.101)

Note: Here Baba is indirectly giving the guideline that in the realm of
devotion one should have a particular personal relation with Parama
Purusa. And these relations are known as "bhava"-- whether they be
sakhya bhava, dasya bhava, madhura bhava etc. So these various bhavas
are that very "link between finite and infinite". Because with the help
of these relations devotees gradually come in closer and closer
proximity with Parama Purusa. Until finally by linking up in this way
the sadhaka becomes one with Him.
          ***************************************

Re: Current Events: "Large-Heartedness" of the West

To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: Current Events: "Large-Heartedness" of the West
Date: Fri 25 Mar 2011 01:57:38 +0530 (IST)
From: Madhusudan

Baba

           == RE: CURRENT EVENTS: "LARGE-HEARTEDNESS" OF THE WEST ==

Namaskar,
I appreciate the points expressed raised in the below letter. It is the duty of moralists to intervene in Libya. But the west's current strategy of pursuing selfish business and economic interests in the name of quelling a humanitarian crises is pure hypocrisy.

Here is Baba's further teaching that - in the case of Libya wherein the Gadhafi regime is ruthlessly attacking its own citizens - an intervention is absolutely necessary by the global community. And again, that intervention should be based purely on the earnest desire to help the common people of Libya, not out of any greedy strategy to procure oil.

Baba says, "If any country perpetrates atrocities on its minorities or attacks a weak neighbouring country, then the other neighbouring countries should, if necessary, resist the oppressor with the force of arms, and thereby come forward to establish sentient peace." (Problems of the Day, #15)

Namaskar,
Madhusudan

Don't Trust

Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:05:27 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Nagendra Deva
Subject: Don't Trust

Baba

"Ga'nera jharn'a' baye ya'ya, bela' abela' na'hi ma'ne..." (P.S.#4868)

Purport:

Baba, by Your divine grace the fountain of Prabhat Samgiita songs is flowing eternally, completely independent of the normal cycle of time. Your blissful songs flow according to their own schedule, according to their own routine-- irregardless of day or night, summer or winter. The divine flow and sweet melody of Your Prabhat Samgiita songs are dancing on the jagged path. They lead one towards that vast Cosmic Ocean-- towards the fountain of effulgence, towards You Baba...

                              == "DON'T TRUST" ==

Namaskar,
In today's materialistic "society", people basically do not trust one another. They do not answer the door without knowing who it is; children are taught not to talk to strangers; the wealthy employ bodyguards and security personnel; there are alarm systems everywhere; and, even metal detectors at the entrances of schools.

All this portrays a fundamental lack of trust. Tragically, this lack of trust is growing day by day and has led to so many other societal ills: isolation, depression, loneliness and other diseases. And this basic lack of trust is not just limited to our social life, but our personal lives as well. Spouses keep separate bank accounts; clashes occur dividing up inheritances and ancestral properties; even on the point of food, people lack basic trust. They feel I should eat more otherwise the next person will take it all.

So this basic lack of trust is an issue in both individual and collective life.

In the past police viewed all as innocent, until they proven guilty. But now they think that all are thieves. That is their fundamental outlook. Such is the basic loss of faith in humanity that has occurred under the watch of materialism. Now the authorities frisk, scan, and fingerprint all; plus police want everyone's DNA data; and they revoke civil liberties. In their eyes, everyone has become a suspect.

Verily, the message of today's so-called civilised world is: "Don't Trust".

That is the underlying theme of modernity. Devoid of a common ethic of trust and brotherly love, strategies like fingerprinting, background checks, surveillance cameras, security alerts, and neighborhood crime watches are the norm. Indeed things have deteriorated to such a degree, that "sting" operations (i.e. undercover police & intelligence tactics) have become commonplace.

The questions arise: How did modernity humanity arrive at such a place? And, why do government leaders and local authorities feel that undercover operations are so critically essential for the well-being of society? These are some of the questions we need to explore. As Ananda Margiis we should clearly understand the situation so we can identify the problem and present the solution. We should also evaluate how far we suffer from this syndrome as well.

                 HEALTHY SOCIETY HAS TO BE BASED ON TRUST

For any society to subsist, there has to be trust amongst its members. That is absolutely vital. Without trust, society cannot survive. Thus from the earliest forms of civilisation, there has always been a certain level of trust. That means, there has been a shared ethic or common code of morality that people follow. That brings stability and enables people to live together in a harmonious way.

From the prehistoric era up till quite recently, the main ethic - or trust - was based on some type of supernatural force. Either out of fear or dutifulness, out of dogmatic faith or belief, people followed a certain code of living, thinking that there is some greater force watching over them. Whether they called it God, nature, fire, heaven, hell, or some other term, people thought that they were being watched and that they should not displease that supernatural power, lest they face the consequences. This was part of the basic mind-set.

For this reason, there were shared values. Even during wars, they would not attack women or children; in day to day life a person would not steal from their neighbor; and so many other codes. That is not to say that nobody ever did anything wrong but people basically believed that there was a common and agreed upon ethic which one should not transgress.

Here it should be noted that this level of trust only extended to the boundaries of their own group. It did not transcend to all peoples everywhere. Because all followed the dogmatic rituals of their group, there was a sense of understanding and trust.

Historically, such beliefs and values cultivated a sense of trust within a given community. Hence there was a social order or a society. And the overall proof of this is that there were far less police and security personnel. This was true even in the US.

In the early 1900's when Teddy Roosevelt was president then he had hardly any security agents around him. One hundred years later, Bush and now Obama are protected 24 / 7 by hoards and hoards of agents using all kinds of equipment and weaponry.

In prior eras, society was literally regulated by individual restraint - either due to fear or a good conscience. There was a prevailing ethic that kept people at peace with each other within a given social structure.


                                    ENTER MATERIALISM

All that changed dramatically with the onslaught of materialism. The ensuing loss of trust has created a drastic shift in society. The question is how did trust disappear?

In essence, in materialism, matter is god, i.e. everything. And with that, the witness-ship of a true god or supernatural force basically vanishes. People suddenly become "free" to chase after all kinds of material pleasures without any impending repercussion. There is no greater force watching them, just a few governmental rules and regulations that are easy to change or side-step.

Furthermore, in materialism, selfishness is king so people become guided more and more by individual interest. In addition, in materialism the chase is for worldly possessions. As these worldly objects are limited in number, people begin to resort to conniving and underhanded methods to get what they want.

Finally, in materialism, individualism becomes the rule of the day. People leave their groups, clan, communities and families and subsist in their own selfish manner. They become their own group, i.e. a group of one. Hence there is not a shred of trust for anyone else. People may superficially trust someone based on a business deal mentality by holding something in collateral, but their is no real trust. For instance, a person may lend their car to a neighbor only because they want to be able to borrow their neighbor's car in the future, or because their neighbor knows that if he does not return it in proper condition, then his prestige will be ruined. So in materialism, what we often understand to be "trust" is really a "trade" or some other crude transaction.

For all these reasons and more, that is why is often a blatant lack of trust even between family members and close friends. Have you not heard of siblings fighting over an inheritance, or how a husband and wife keep separate bank accounts as they think that any day their spouse may divorce them. And there are so many examples. Even in our Marga and Wt cadre, some have no trust that the next person will save them some food, so they take huge portions. Plus there are so many scenarios in personal life that reflect a blatant lack of trust. That happens due to the selfishness of materialism where one only watches for their own well-being, and not that of those around them.

This state of affairs has led to a serious lack of trust in fellow human beings. And where there is no trust, there is no cordiality, love, or code of honour etc. Rather people become alienated, suspicious, and psychically agitated. In short, they become antagonistic towards one another.


                                 WHY THE LOSS OF TRUST: Part 1

Indeed this is what we find in today's materialistic "society". And again the cause behind this loss of trust is at minimum two-fold:

1. People are competing with one another and chasing after finite material possessions; people think that if they do not grab worldly riches for themselves, then the next person will grab them. This breeds tremendous suspicion.

2. Those who are poor, hungry and exploited and losing the aforesaid competition in the race for crude wealth resort to criminal activities and steal from those who have.

Note: Further down in "Why the Loss of Trust: Part 2" we identify two more critical issues behind the loss of trust.


                             ATTEMPT TO KEEP LAW & ORDER

The authorities realised they needed a tool to keep the people in check - otherwise there would be absolute chaos everywhere. Hence, in the past few decades in the "modern" world, there has been a tremendous increase in police, surveillance, security, fingerprinting, raids DNA databases, retina photo databases, face photo databases, and so much more like sting operations.

Sting operations are undercover, secretive maneuvers designed to keep people "in-line". Some may think that "sting" operations are meant to entrap wrongdoers, but more than that the authorities have resorted to sting operations to ensure everyone follows the rules of law. They invented these procedures with this positive idea in mind. And sting operations have become quite pervasive. Yet, the problem has not been resolved. To some degree there is law and order, but suspicion and distrust within society have reached an all-time high. No one knows if the person they are talking to is a spy or not, is an undercover agent or not. And the worst part is that crime has not been curtailed, but rather it has increased.


                             WHY THE LOSS OF TRUST: Part 2

Considering the above, there is another set of reasons behind the terrible loss of trust in materialistic countries.

1. When you see and hear about criminal activities going on all around you, then you think that nowhere is safe. You never know if the person next to you will harm you are not. In that case, everyone becomes suspect.

2. When countries dominated by materialism employ so many undercover and sting operations in an attempt to control widespread criminal activity, then one has no idea if the next person is a spy or not.

Hence, there exists massive distrust.


                        THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEN AND NOW

In today's materialistic societies, the belief and fear that a supernatural force is watching over people has been replaced with the idea that there are undercover agents and surveillance devices watching them. In both cases, in the past and today also, the general public becomes forced to adhere to the rules of the society.

Let me first say that I am not supporter of the dogmatic beliefs of those outdated religions.

But the main difference between then and now is that earlier people felt that a supernatural force is watching everything & everywhere whereas today people feel that there are select police operations and surveillance cameras in particular locations. The vision of God is limitless whereas the reach of police and security personnel are fairly limited. That is one distinct difference. And that also explains why crime has multiplied enormously in materialistic nations.

In spite of having much more material possessions, people feel more insecure as everyone thinks that he is alone and helpless. All feel the need to have more and get more and the result is increased cheating, theft, and crime.

The other chief difference between then and now is that in the past people were guided by an inner feeling or conscience, and that led to little or no crime in their groups, and in result a basic feeling of trust from one person to the next. Whereas now people are governed by a purely superficial approach - i.e. fear of surveillance cameras and suspicion that the next person is a spy - that only increases distrust between people. And all along crime is also increasing day by day.

Again, I am not a proponent of the dogmatic religions, only I mean to say that the groupist sentiment found in religious communities led to a lower crime rate within their group; whereas in materialism, with a lack of trust everywhere, crime is rampant.

Finally, in the past people felt that if they did wrong then God would certainly know about it so they should not transgress any laws etc; whereas today people think that if they do wrong, then the authorities may or may not find out. These are some of the basic differences. That furthermore explains why crime today is at an all-time high.


                                            SUMMARY

Through underground police maneuvers and surveillance strategies, the authorities have been able to instill a sense of fear that gives the semblance of law and order in social life. On the outside - at first glance - everything looks alright. But without any greater ethic, and with crime continually on the rise, the authorities felt they had no other options than covert initiatives.

In conclusion, in the past people were controlled by an inner fear of some supernatural force and true love towards others; the stop-valve was their own conscience and this brought peace and service, not crime. Hence there was a deep sense of trust. Today that is gone. The mass of people lack an inner voice or conscience or true love for all and instead respond to external pressure like security measures and sting operations. That is the only thing keeping them from wreaking havoc. Everything looks like it is under control in the modern world, when in fact it is really not.


                   BABA'S TEACHINGS ON THIS VERY SITUATION

Here below in a pointed manner Baba clearly identifies and outlines how materialism invites distrust and ruins the social fabric of society.

The main problem is that when the goal is matter then everyone is chasing after limited worldly resources. So people become suspicious of one another and fearful that the next person will get the "gems and jewels" and they will not. This breeds distrust.

Baba says, "Philosophies such as this [materialism] ultimately encourage hostility between people: they disturb not only the collective peace, but also individual peace. Separated by the iron walls of suspicion, people cannot trust each other. The present-day materialism has brought humanity to this predicament. Its consequences are dreadful." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 5)

Thus Baba says that the ills of materialism are horrific and lead to the splintering of society where no one trusts anyone else.

To counteract this situation, the authorities implement all kinds of spying and surveillance operations to promote public welfare. Because when all want to become rich by cheating others, then covert operations are needed. Such is the materialistic solution to widespread crime. Yet, ultimately this creates even more distrust, suspicion and more psychic tension. And all the while, criminal activities are not stopped, rather they are on the rise.

Once again in materialistic societies, all are rushing after crude object. Those in the upper crest manipulate the laws and rules and employ dishonest means to hoard huge wealth. In response, the hungry masses of society resort to criminal activities in order to get what they need to survive. In this way the whole atmosphere becomes polluted and there is a blatant lack of trust everywhere.

Baba says, "People have lost faith in their fellow human beings; one state [country] has lost faith in other states. In all spheres of life these days, people think one thing, say another thing, and do something entirely different. That is, hypocrisy is now at its peak. Now the question is: What is the motivation behind this? It is the tendency to assimilate ideas without the spirit of welfare – and, still more than this, the tendency to acquire the objects of material enjoyment in ever-increasing quantities." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 5)

The thin thread authorities are using to keep law and order in materialistic societies is not working. Their "thread" - of course - is a wide array of security measures. But in so doing, moral principles and brotherly love have basically disappeared and distrust and crime have multiplied. In result, so many more ills take root: alienation, disillusionment, tension, frustration, and much, much more.


                                 ANANDA MARGA SOLUTION

In today's materialistic order, the common people are not comfortable, but they do not know the root cause. And they do not know how to remedy the situation. Because when they do not realise that materialism itself is the problem, they can only think that the remedy is more and more security forces, more and more surveillance cameras, and more and more covert operations. Such is the materialistic response; yet that only breeds more and more crime which leads to more and more spies. And the end result is heightened distrust.

In our Ananda Marga, Baba has given the perfect solution.

First and foremost, Baba has laid down the principles of yama and niyama. This brings a sense or morality; there is a common ethic. In addition, there is the shared belief that Parama Purusa is watching everything. In that case, no true Ananda Margii can knowingly commit a wrong as they do not wish to displease Baba and incur negative samskaras. Rather each and every Ananda Margii wants to please Baba by serving the society. Even if a margii gets the opportunity to do wrong without getting caught, they will not do so as it is against their inner code of morality.

We can say that the only way to bring real trust is through neo-humanism. One must feel in their heart of hearts that all are part of their own family. When everyone is a family member there is no question of crime or fighting.

When this ideal is embraced then all selfish and group boundaries vanish and a true bond of love develops. Then there is real trust, in which case crime will vanish. In a nutshell that is the equation.

Right now society is at a cross-roads. Materialism has reached its height and Baba has graciously created the vibration where people are looking for something more. Now is the time for us to preach the gospel of neo-humanistic principles. This is our duty and by Baba's grace the people will respond.

Baba says, "We have to divert physical longings to psychic and spiritual longings to avoid a fratricidal war, and thereby safeguard human rights." (PNS-15)

Namaskar,
Nagendra

                 

                   Note 1: BREED MORE AND MORE SUSPICION

Here below Baba is talking about how all the various dogmas like capitalism breed suspicion from one person to the next. When the preachers or leaders want to control the people they put forth myths and stories to support their crude political agenda. By this way they misguide the masses and implement their narrow-minded views. Today, many have swallowed the bait of capitalism and materialism.

Baba says, "Out of cowardice, selfishness or sinful propensities, humans and other creatures may resort to a crooked path, not only in the material world, but also in the mental world. That is, cowardliness, selfishness and sinful tendencies bring about curvatures in the world of thoughts. These curvatures breed mutual suspicion. Even innocent people are taught to think wrongly." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 10)

                               Note 2: UNJUSTIFIED SUSPICION

In the past police viewed all as innocent until proven guilty, but now they think that all are criminals and thieves. This basic loss of faith in humanity has occurred under the watch of materialism. Now they fingerprint all, spy on all, run DNA checks on all, and curtail the freedoms of all. In sum, everyone has become a suspect.

Baba says, "Individuals or groups or communities guided by this sinner’s psychology, become involved in various inhuman activities out of unjustified suspicion. Ultimately there comes a time when they no longer repent. Those doctrines and philosophies which teach people to suspect their fellow citizens, which teach people to treat their fellow humans as enemies, have done enormous harm to the world in the past, and if not restrained and controlled, will do so in the future also." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 10)

Actually all the religions, factions, or groups adhere to this baseline message: Do not trust those not in our group. Capitalism is worse because in capitalism, every person is their own separate group. Sinner's psychology is rampant: (a) Suspect those in the other group; (b) do anything, even anti-social tactics, to protect members of one's own group.

                          Note 3: ALL MATERIALISTIC SOCIETIES SUFFER

People often think of communist and capitalist societies as being poles apart. But in truth they both are materialistic in nature and both lead to rampant suspicion between haves and have-nots, and indeed between each and every person. Spying becomes the theme of the day. In the communist nations, people were forced to leave; let us see what happens with capitalism.

Baba says, "The situation may come to such a pass that detectives may be employed against every person. Again, another set of detective personnel may be employed to watch whether each detective is functioning properly or not. Thus a vicious atmosphere of intelligence and counter-intelligence will be rampant in the society. And the dangerous consequence is this – that all human treasures having been poisoned, human existence itself will become meaningless. People will grow cynical, or will be forced to leave their country or their society to escape this venomous atmosphere." (Namah Shiváya Shántáya, Disc: 10, Shivokti 10)

       *************************************************
                                Good Sadhaka

Baba says, "The mind of the man whose consciousness or discriminating judgement is awakened-- whose power of judgment is intense, always remains wedded to the 'Buddhi'. That is to say, his rein (mind) remains constantly under the control of the charioteer (Buddhi or discriminating intellect), and so, quite naturally, his organs remain loyal to the Buddhi. Random rambles of the organ-like horses (organs) will cut no ice with him. But in a case like this if the horses (organs) be bad and untrained, i.e. the organs are faulty, it becomes impossible for the charioteer (discriminating intellect) to get the desired result. Hence for the right functioning of the chariot (body), well-trained horses (organs) are indispensable. A sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) also should train himself likewise. His mind, body, intellect, and organs should be directed towards the Blissful Spirit (Shreya)." (SS-4, p.9)
       *************************************************